Norfolk to Coinjock

Can you find the mark?

We started from Tidewater Marina today @ 8:30.  Almost turned back, the fog was so thick!  We turned the radar on and inched our way south.  We had to wait for a bridge that was supposed to be open so hung out under the watchful eye of 2 navy police rib’s with machine guns on the bow.

Tug holding ship - note the wash we had to go through

Sea foam?

A lot of chatter on the radio about the status of the fog etc. but the fog gradually cleared as we proceeded.  A very slow ride.

This is a very industrial area and the colour of the water does NOT invite swimming.  There is also lots of sea foam?

Great Bridge Lock

Squeezing through the Great Bridge bridge

Eventually we came to the Great Bridge Lock.  This a huge lock but only has a minimal drop of 2 - 3 feet.  

We waited in the lock for about 20 minutes as you have to co-ordinate with the Great Bridge bridge opening.

Hilarium

Beside us is Hilarium, about a 147 foot Hakvoort yacht.  Fun to watch the crew washing the boat down in the locks while we wait.  We had passed them earlier waiting for the Gilmerton Bridge, but with 35’ of clearance, it was no bother to us.

We had called Coinjock marina the day before to get a reservation and were told we were on a waiting list.  He said he would call us.  I called about 9:30 to be told we were the first one on the list and would probably have no problems but that he had just started to look at the book.  A half an hour later he called back to advise us we were ok!  Roast Beef dinner tonight.

The run through the Virginia cut was picturesque.  It now looks like you are in the south.  The cut runs through grassy low-lying wild areas.  We saw soaring eagles and suspect that there was a lot of other wildlife.  A lot of the day, actually all of it, is in a narrow restricted channel.  Even in the open bodies of water, you have to stay in the channel, as there is only 4’ on either side.  There was a sailboat rescued by a Good Samaritan just ahead of us.  We basically spent the day following a line of boats.

Arriving at Coinjock, it is a sight to see all of the large boats tied up.  Our 56 is one of the smallest on the dock. 

Tomorrow we are off to Belhaven, NC.  It will be another slow run in narrow canals/cuts.

Thursday's route:  The yellow line ending at the red pin